Vidarbha has a better case than Telangana: Vilas Muttemwar

Interview with Congress MP from Nagpur

Vilas Muttemwar, a seven-time Congress member of Parliament from Nagpur and former Union minister has been spearheading the movement for Vidarbha’s statehood for quite some time now. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, Muttemwar says it is an opportune time for the Centre to take a decision on Vidarbha on the lines of Telangana. Edited excerpts:

Why rake up the demand for a separate Vidarbha now?

The people of Vidarbha are seeking justice against years of neglect and lop-sided development. The Justice Fazal Ali state reorganisation committee, set up in 1953, had said that Vidarbha's case for statehood was fit.

 
However, the government's statistics clearly prove that in the 53 years since the Vidarbha region was merged with Maharashtra state, the natural growth rate of the region has drastically slowed down. The people of Vidarbha were solemnly assured through agreements and constitutional provisions that the region would be developed equitably along with other parts of Maharashtra.

But the Mumbai-centric policy makers have ignored Vidarbha. A whopping Rs 1 lakh crore, which would have come to Vidarbha, have been diverted to other regions during these years.

Nagpur lost its capital status and once-flourishing towns like Amravati and Akola are in shambles. Newly-formed states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand have achieved prosperity and growth in the last one decade, while Vidarbha is reeling under acute backwardness and fighting to wipe out old backlog, which is a result of the step-motherly policies of the Maharashtra government.

Critics say despite the posts of chief ministers, ministers and Union ministers, the region remains underdeveloped. What is your take?

The political support provided by Vidarbha has never been reciprocated by the leadership. The Congress leaders from the (Vidarbha) region were given secondary positions, insignificant portfolios and the region is paying the price for supporting the Congress.

Even Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan have opposed separate statehood for Vidarbha. What is your comment?

I have already brought to Shinde's notice that his reported statement that Telangana's case was considered because it was older and more deserving than Vidarbha is not based on historical facts and evidence. It has hurt the feelings of the people of Vidarbha. Solid documentary evidence shows that the demand for a Vidarbha state is much older and more rooted. The demand for a separate state of Vidarbha has been a long-pending proposal.

As far as Prithviraj Chavan's statement that smaller states were not feasible while bigger states like Maharashtra were more economically viable, I strongly feel that Vidarbha has a better case than Telangana.

Therefore, I have appealed to all 24 party legislators from Vidarbha to come out openly in favour of a separate statehood demand and not buckle under any pressure.

How Vidarbha will be a viable state?

Vidarbha is rich in minerals. It is one of the leading regions with a higher production of cotton, soya bean and orange. Majority of the coal based power plants are housed in the region. It is centrally located.

Take example of Ankisa village of Gadchiroli is 1,400 kms away from Mumbai while the last village of Gondia is at a distance 1,250 km. On the contrary, even in Uttar Pradesh, the farthest point is not beyond 600 kms from the state capital. It is really difficult and unviable for people of Vidarbha to frequently go to Mumbai to take up their cause or for its persuation at the government level.

But Shiv Sena is opposed to split united Maharashtra. What are the other options?

OK, if Shiv Sena is opposed, I have last week made a fresh appeal to the Centre under rule 377 in the Lok Sabha to shift Maharashtra's capital to Nagpur from Mumbai for the next 50 years.

This will serve the dual purpose of development of the neglected Vidarbha region and also help decongest the already overcrowded Mumbai. This will be in accordance with the Centre's policy of decentralisation of power.

Shifting of capital to Nagpur will bring the people of the region closer to the capital and thereby facilitate good governance, quick redressal of their grievances and micro management of local problems.

You are being criticized for running pro-Vidarbha state as you were not inducted in the cabinet. What is your comment?

This is totally incorrect. On the contrary, my pro-Vidarbha stance has cost me dearly.